IBM is focusing on making data seem local even when it is distributed across multiple systems, mapping information to get consistent views of data, and quickly processing many types of data and content, said Steve Mills, senior vice president of the company’s software group.

“We can deal with any customer’s data in virtually any format,” Mills said during a press conference at the IBM Information on Demand Global Conference in Las Vegas. “We have focused on very-high-scale high performance. How do you make that remote information seem local?”

One key announcement has IBM releasing Master Data Management Server, software for managing information about customers, products and accounts within a service-oriented architecture (SOA). The product, which is entering beta testing and will become available in early 2008, treats master data as a strategic asset supported by capabilities for defining, accessing and using it, according to IBM. This will help financial services providers, retailers, governments and other large organisations design and implement processes that depend on an accurate, comprehensive and consistent view of master data, IBM says.

Viper 2 will be available by 31 October, with prices starting at $50 per processor value unit or $170 per user. Another version will be available as a free download with optional yearly support at $2,995 per server.